I kept a day by day journal the first 5 years I was enjoying North America. While earning a living,I kept track of where I went, often what I did, feelings I had and various other details. I am writing this blog day by day as I lived it. The month/day I lived it is the same as the month/day I write about it. The years are obviously different...thus the days title: ie: August 30, 1989, 2009.
About Me
- The Protraveller...
- Starting as a preschooler, I remember my Grandfather bringing me rocks from his trips he took after he retired. Each rock had a story to tell. In the sixth grade, I watched a freeway be built and then wondered where all the trucks would go. I remember in high school looking at the mountains and wanting to travel. I did many jobs BEFORE trucking but I always wondered what driving would by like. I really wanted to see things and drive a big truck. So after almost finishing nursing school, a divorce and three cute little kids, I became a truck driver. While earning a living, I found myself enjoying North America and seeing the land and people. NO ONE ENJOYED TRAVELING MORE THAN ME. There are two things I have enjoyed in this life and they are traveling and writing. I use to call myself "Protourist" but my Mother-in-law and Wife would become upset with me as they know I really love THE "travel" and not THE stopping to see things. I now call myself "protraveller"(I like it with a double "L") and my Mother-in-law and Wife are now happy!!! I love to write and this blog gives me the opportunity to share my past and thoughts with the public.
About this blog's layout...BLOG UPDATED ONCE PER DAY...
I follow my journal daily by writing under the daily title, "FIRST 5 YEARS:" The first five years will strictly follow my 5 year journal. If I find the day I am writing about to be boring, I will either write about thoughts I remember(placed under the title of "SECOND 5 YEARS"), write a trucker tale(placed under "A Trucker's Tale"), give a helpful trucker hint, ask a "student driver" question or do something.....When a location appears after the day of the week after "FIRST 5 YEARS:", it is where I am at the start of that day((IE: FIRST 5 YEARS: (Sunday-Kansas City, Missouri))..... I would encourage those that find themselves enjoying North America to follow me day by day.....REMEMBER: THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR A TRUCKER THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE ROUTE(called a "dedicated" route). THERE WILL BE MANY TIMES WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE SIMILAR(boring???) TO PREVIOUS DAYS; THAT'S TRUCKING! THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE TOTALLY NEW; THAT'S TRUCKING. Frustrations? I mention the frustrations I had as a driver. I loved my job while earning a living and realized that all jobs have frustrations; truck driving is, and was, no different..... Many pictures on this blog can be left-clicked and made larger.....Questions?...Please E-mail PT at fabalt2000@centurylink.net
Blog Dictionaries...
The Trucking Dictionary...words in this dictionary will many times appear highlighted. If a word isn't highlighted or in the blog dictionary and sounds "different", check it out in this dictionary. Please note: Many times when clicking on these dictionaries anywhere in the blog, the first thing that comes up is an advertisement which I have no control over.
The Blog Dictionary...This dictionary contains words I use that aren't "trucker" words and thus not in the "trucking dictionary". I separate them--the dictionaries--in case someone wants to copy the trucking dictionary for personal use. This dictionary also contains names of people(not real names) that I dealt with many times through my trucking career. Blog word found in this dictionary often will be licked to it.
DAILY UPDATES SHOULD BE UP BY NOON CST...
August 14, 2010
August 14, 1990, 2010
FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Rawlins, Wyoming) My day started in the truckstop in Rawlins. I finished buying my munchies and then, having fueled and updated my log book, left for Provo, Utah, my first tire stop. I was out of there at 12:30 AM MST heading west on I-80. Shortly after leaving Rawlins, I entered the Great Divide Basin which is great-for me-to drive through. If you get bored with western Kansas/eastern Colorado,- I don't-then it may really get on your nerves; there are places that are pretty "empty". I remember one time--not this one--while traveling it at night, I had a clear, starry night over head and I could see 5 thunderstorms around me...yes, at one time... I went on, over the Twin Sisters after going past Little America, and stopped at the rest area near Lyman(Wyoming) for a short break. I shortly passed into Utah, where their super coupe was closed. I thought I had heard of a shortcut to Provo(Utah), so I called out on the CB radio for some local information. I was given the route, which I took. I got off I-80 at Hwy 40 south. At Heber City, I took "Provo" Canyon to Provo. Followed the road through town and stopped at the motel off of I-15, which I had stayed at before. I got there at 6 AM MST. The motel clerk was a little surprised that I wanted to sign in so early but signed in into a room that had not been rented this past night. This motel had great semi parking, so I just left my truck and went to the room-lower floor near my truck- where I took a nap until around 11 AM MST. I went to lunch at the Chuck-A-Rama Buffet. I enjoyed the buffet pretty well but their lunch buffet was just a little too "lunchy". Went back to my room and stayed there throughout the night.
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